Putter head with direction and centering arrow

ABSTRACT

A club head for a putter is provided and comprises an elongated body having opposite ends and front and rear sides. One end portion of the head includes an upwardly projecting shank and the front side of the head or body includes a substantially vertical planar face. The upper marginal portion of the central area of the face includes an upward extension having low opposite end portions, an elevated central zone and an upwardly tapering center peak centered relative to the elevated central zone. The outward extension of the front face is defined by an upstanding flange projecting upwardly from the front marginal portion of the upper side of the body and the upper edges of the flange extend in planes generally normal to the longitudinal extent of the body or head. When the putter is used and the club head thereof is viewed from above by the golfer using the putter, the upper edge of the flange defining the center peak forms a line or arrow to be aligned with the intended path of an associated golf ball. The remote extremeties of the elevated central zone define lines spaced about slightly less than the diameter of a golf ball and thus, when viewed from above, assist the golfer in centering the club head relative to the line of intended movement of the golf ball extending along a vertical diametric plane of the golf ball. Further, the remote edges of the low opposite end portions of the extension define further spaced apart lines paralleling and equally spaced on opposite sides of the center of the intended path of an associated golf ball to further assist in properly centering the body of the club head relative to the path of intended roll of the golf ball.

United States Patent [191 Brace [451 Oct. 14, 1975 PUTTER HEAD WITH DIRECTION AND CENTERING ARROW [76] Inventor: Jack L. Brace, 404 Avenue B,

Bryan, Ohio 43506 22 Filed: Aug. 23, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 500,175

[52] US. Cl. 273/164 [51] Int. Cl. A63B 53/04 [58] Field of Search 273/77 R, 78, 80 R, 80 C, 273/163 R, 164, 167-175, 183 D, 193 R, 193

A, 194 R; D34/5 GC, 5 GH [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,046,343 12/1912 Smith 273/164 1,319,802 10/1919 Shea 273/164 UX 1,969,086 8/1934 Luckett.... 273/164 X 2,781,197 2/1957 Wiley 273/164 2,991,082 7/1961 Handzlik 273/164 3,387,845 6/1968 Raub 273/164 X D174,032 2/1955 Galambossy.... 273/164 X Dl83,180 7/1958 273/164 X Dl86,522 11/1959 D34/5 Gl-I Dl98,631 7/1964 273/164 UX D209,761 1/1968 273/167 D UX D212,890 12/1968 D34/5 GH D217,487 5/1970 273/164 UX D228,927 10/1973 D34/5 Gl-l D230,-615 3/1974 Delgadillo... 273/164 UX D233,6l6 ll/1974 I Verzillo D34/5 Gl-l FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 310,209 4/1929 United Kingdom 273/163 R 324,620 l/193O United Kingdom 273/164 Primary ExaminerRichard J. Apley Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Clarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson ABSIRACT A club head for a putter is provided and comprises an elongated body having opposite ends and front and rear sides. One end portion of the head includes an upwardly projecting shank and the front side of the head or body includes a substantially vertical planar face. The upper marginal portion of the central area of the face includes an upward extension having low opposite end portions, an elevated central zone and an upwardly tapering center peak centered relative to the elevated central zone. The outward extension of the front face is defined by an upstanding flange projecting upwardly from the front marginal portion of the upper side of the body and the upper edges of the flange extend in planes generally normal to the longitudinal extent of the body or head. When the putter is used and the club head thereof is viewed from above by the golfer using the putter, the upper edge of the flange defining the center peak forms a line or arrow to be aligned with the intended path of an associated golf ball. The remote extremeties of the elevated central zone define lines spaced about slightly less than the diameter of a golf ball and thus, when viewed from above, assist the golfer in centering the club head relative to the line of intended movement of the golf ball extending along a vertical diametric plane of the golf ball. Further, the remote edges of the low opposite end portions of the extension define further spaced apart lines paralleling and equally spaced on opposite sides of the center of the intended path of an associated golf ball to further assist in properly centering the body of the club head relative to the path of intended roll of the golf ball.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 l m F Fig. 3

'lllllyllllll PUTTER HEAD WITH DIRECTION AND CENTERING ARROW BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of club heads have been heretofore designed for the purpose of assisting a golfer in properly aligning the head of a putter relative to the intended roll path of an associated golf ball. However, these previously designed putter heads have not been, for various reasons, fully effective in assisting a golfer in properly aligning the club head with a golf ball and the intended path or roll of the golf ball. Examples of previously patented club heads designed to facilitate proper alignment of the club head with a golf ball may be found in US. Pat. Nos. 837,030, 1,678,750 and 1,969,086.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The club head of the instant invention has been specifically designed to enable a golfer to properly align the head of a putter with an associated golf ball and the intended roll path of the golf ball. The club head includes readily identifiable parallel lines or edges spaced along an upper edge of the club head and disposed in parallel vertical planes generally normal to the longitudinal center axis of the elongated head. These parallel include a center line and two pairs of lines spaced equally on opposite sides of the center line with the pair of lines spaced the greatest distance from the center line being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a golf ball.

The main object of thisinvention is to provide a putter head with direction and centering lines or arrows readily viewable from above in order to facilitate proper alignment of the putter head with a golf ball.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a putter head contoured in a manner such that the head may be properly aligned relative to a golf ball and also relative to the intended roll path of the associated golf ball.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a golf club head which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf club including a club head constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the club head and lower portion of the associated club shaft as seen from the front side of the head;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the assemblage illustrated in FIG. 2 and with the club head operatively associated with a golf ball;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the club head and lower portion of the club shaft; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 55 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now specifically to the drawings the numeral generally designates a golf club. The club 10 includes an upstanding shaft 12 having a hand grip 14 on its upper end and including a slightly angulated lower end portion 16. A club head substantially rectangular in plan shape and referred to in general by the reference numeral 18 is provided and the lower end portion 16 projects upwardly from and is supported from one end of the head.

The club head 18 includes an elongated horizontally disposed body 20 with the lower end of the lower angulated portion 16 of the shaft 12 secured to and projecting upwardly from one end of the body 20 generally centrally intermediate the front and rear faces 22 and 23 thereof.

The front face 22 is substantially vertically disposed and includes an upward extension 24 in a central area thereof and the upward extension 24 includes low opposite end portions 26 and 28, an elevated central zone 30 and an upwardly tapering center peak 32 centered relative to the elevated center zone 30. The upward extension 24 is defined by an upstanding flange 34 projecting upwardly from the front marginal portion of the upper side 36 of the the longitudinal center axis of the body 20. The remote edges 38 and 40 of the low opposite end portions 26 and 28 define a first pair of lines 42 and 44 spaced equally on opposite sides of the center upper edge 46 of the peak 32 and the remote edges 48 and 50 of the elevated central zone 30 define a second pair of lines or arrows spaced equally on opposite sides of the edge 46 and spaced apart a lesser distance than the spacing between the lines or arrows 42 and 44.

The body 20 includes a central upwardly and rearwardly opening recess or notch 52 disposed immediately rearward the lower marginal portion of the flange 34 and the opposite end edges or surfaces 56 and 58 of the recess 52 are disposed in substantially the same vertical parallel planes in which the edges 38 and 40 are disposed.

In operation, the head 18 is positioned relative to an associated golf ball 60 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings with the center indicia 62 on the golf ball 60 disposed in a vertical plane extending along the intended roll path of the ball 60. Also, the center peak edge 46 of the head 18 is disposed in the same vertical plane. The lines or arrows 48 and 50 are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the golf ball 60 and thus serve to facilitate proper centering, visually, of the head 18 relative to the ball 60. Also, the lines or arrows 42 and 44 which are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the golf ball 60 also facilitate proper visual centering of the head 18 relative to the ball 60.

After the head 18 has been properly centered relative to the ball 60 subsequent to the indicia 62 being properly aligned with the intended roll path of the ball 60, the club 10 is swung into impact with the ball 60 in the conventional manner. Repeated practice of putting strokes with the club 10 will soon enable a golfer to master the skill of properly centering the club 18 relative to the ball 60 and the intended roll path of the ball. In this manner, the golfer will experience consistently more accurate putting strokes and may therefore concentrate more heavily upon reading the green and realize more ability in reading the green and thereby enable him to perfect his skill in this area without attempts to properly read a green being rendered inaccurate due to improper centering of the head of the putter relative to the golf ball during the putting stroke.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordinglyall suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A putter club including an elongated head body substantially rectangular in plan outline and having opposite ends, front and rear sides, and upper and bottom sides, said upper side lying in an imaginary horizontal plane, one end portion of said head including an upwardly projecting shank and the front side of said head including a substantially vertical planar face, an upper marginal portion located in the central area of said upper side and being substantially coplanar with said face, centrally intermediate the opposite end portions of said body, extending upwardly from said imaginary plane and comprising an upward extension having a. low opposite end portions extending upwardly from said upper side and forming a first pair of oppositely disposed parallel edges extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said head and constituting a first pair of alignment lines,

b. an elevated central zone upwardly extending from said low opposite end portions, spaced inwardly an equal amount from said first pair of edges and forming a second pair of oppositely disposed parallel edges extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said head and constituting a second pair of alignment lines and c. an upwardly tapering center peak centered relative to said elevated central zone and constituting a third edge extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said head and disposed parallel to said first and second pairs of edges a depressed rearwardly and upwardly opening recess defined immediately behind said front side and extending downwardly into said body and rearwardly to said rear side, said recess having oppositely disposed parallel surfaces aligned substantially in the same vertical parallel planes encompassing said first pair of edges, said body including a generally planar undersurface whose opposite end portions curve upwardly and merge into upstanding end faces of said body defining said opposite ends. 

1. A putter club including an elongated head body substantially rectangular in plan outline and having opposite ends, front and rear sides, and upper and bottom sides, said upper side lying in an imaginary horizontal plane, one end portion of said head including an upwardly projecting shank and the front side of said head including a substantially vertical planar face, an upper marginal portion located in the central area of said upper side and being substantially coplanar with said face, centrally intermediate the opposite end portions of said body, extending upwardly from said imaginary plane and comprising an upward extension having a. low opposite end portions extending upwardly from said upper side and forming a first pair of oppositely disposed parallel edges extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said head and constituting a first pair of alignment lines, b. an elevated central zone upwardly extending from said low opposite end portions, spaced inwardly an equal amount from said first pair of edges and forming a second pair of oppositely disposed parallel edges extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said head and constituting a second pair of alignment lines and c. an upwardly tapering center peak centered relative to said elevated central zone and constituting a third edge extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said head and disposed parallel to said first and second pairs of edges a depressed rearwardly and upwardly opening recess defined immediately behind said front side and extending downwardly into said body and rearwardly to said rear side, said recess having oppositely disposed parallel surfaces aligned substantially in the same vertical parallel planes encompassing said first pair of edges, said body including a generally planar undersurface whose opposite end portions curve upwardly and merge into upstanding end faces of said body defining said opposite ends. 